Someone's invented bullets that can CHANGE direction. 5 facts you need to know and a sexy GIF

In an almost cinematic sequence of events, the US Government has revealed that they’ve somehow managed to create sniper bullets that can change direction in mid-air.

Which is both the coolest thing we’ve ever heard and also the most terrifying.

Here’s what you need to know…

01 It can actually go around corners. This video shows the EXACTO bullet manoeuvring in-flight to hit its target.

The graphics aren’t exactly the best but, in the video, the bullet clearly changes course mid-air before hitting the intended target.

It might sound like something taken straight from the world of science fiction but, if you believe these Commodore 64 style graphics, self-guided bullets might soon be a widely used piece of kit.

02 It costs a fortune. The Pentagon has invested more than $25 million into the program since it began in 2008 and it’s not even finished yet.

Just to put that into context, for the same amount of money you could buy a third of Luis ‘Bitey’ Suarez. We’re not sure which one’s the more dangerous weapon.

03 It could double the range of the US Military’s snipers. US Army snipers are expected to hit targets 600 metres away, any further than that and their accuracy drops off due to stuff like wind and humidity.

The EXACTO bullet has a range of 2,000 metres as well as virtual indifference to conditions. If it works it could make face to face warfare a thing of the past, which leads us on to the next point…

04 It might actually save more lives than it takes. Just like on Call of Duty, in real warzones the sniper is king – and they’re growing in numbers. At the start of the Iraq war, the entire US Army had only 250 snipers in its ranks but, at the peak of US operations, there were more than three times that number.

How’s that going to save lives? Well, the increased range and accuracy the EXACTO gives snipers means that they’re far less likely to put themselves in danger. Or mess up and hurt civilians.

05 It’s been done before. In 2012, another US government researcher, Sandia National Labs tested its own guided bullet and supposedly has a similar accuracy and range to the EXACTO.

The crucial difference is that the Sandia uses a laser beam for targeting – great in clear conditions but less useful in smoky, dusty or foggy weather. We’re no experts, but we’re pretty sure that warzones tend to be all of those things.

Featured

About FHM's Entertainment section

The latest film reviews, music reviews and video game reviews from FHM. Plus gadget news, cinema news, movie previews and celebrity interviews. We’re all about the entertainment.

Here in FHM's entertainment section you can have a look around to see what we’ve said about the latest movies, games and comedy. We have exclusive interviews, news and clips for your perusal, just in case you fancied seeing bits of upcoming episodes from your favourite TV shows before anyone else.